Egypt prosecutor imposes media gag order on the killing of female protester

CAIRO – Egypt's top prosecutor has imposed a media gag order on the case of the death of a female protester killed during a peaceful demonstration widely caught on cameras last month.

Rights groups and political factions accuse the police of killing 32-year old Shaimaa el-Sabbagh, pointing to widely circulated footage that showed two masked, black-clad policemen pointing their rifles in her direction as gunshots rang out and a voice commanded "fire." She was killed on Jan. 24, the eve of the fourth anniversary of the uprising that ousted longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak. The police sought to distance themselves from the killing, which renewed criticism of security's excessive use of force.

On Thursday, a statement from the prosecutor general's office said the gag order will remain until the investigation is completed.